Chad Engle, a Senior Tech at Mite-E-Ducts, knows the power of documentation. From avoiding false damage claims to proving work was done, CompanyCam helps his team stay organized and transparent.
Chad’s been using the CompanyCam for over two years, and his team at Mite-E-Ducts has made it a core part of how they work. We gave him a call to hear the full story.
In this interview, Chad shares how tools like photo timelines, searchable tags, video capture, and before-and-after documentation save them thousands each month and protect their reputation.
The Real Problem: No Proof
The biggest issue in air duct cleaning? Lack of proof. Chad’s seen it too many times: companies cutting corners or leaving customers guessing. That’s exactly why his team brought on CompanyCam.
“We want to be upfront and honest with our customers,” he told us. “If I can, I’ll take them to the furnace and show them what’s being pulled out.”
Sometimes that means asking a customer to hold the flashlight so both of his hands are free. That moment — seeing the dirt, the suction, the work being done — is what builds trust.
“It’s usually the wife who hires us and the husband who thinks we’re scam artists,” Chad said. “When he sees what’s coming out of the system, he gets it.”
We’ve Got it Documented
To back it up, they document everything. Three to five photos per vent. That adds up fast, but that’s the point.
“If there’s a wall nick, we’ve already got the photo showing it was there before we started. If a customer calls and says we caused damage, we don’t have to guess — we’ve got it documented.”
Field Photos to Office in Seconds
Chad says those photos save them long drives, repeat visits, and difficult conversations. “CompanyCam keeps us from wasting time and money on things we can prove with a picture.”
While techs are snapping photos in the field, the office sees everything in real time. That instant visibility means if something’s off, someone at the office can step in right away — no phone tag, no guesswork, no chasing people down.
“It saves us money and headaches,” Chad said. “The customers like seeing before-and-after photos, and now that we can use video, it’s helped even more.”
When a Video Says It All
Chad shared a moment when a customer called after a dryer cleaning, saying the machine now made a strange sound.
“I told them, ‘We’ve got this video.’ They watched it and said, ‘Oh, should we call a dryer tech, then?’ And that was it. Done.”
In another case, a homeowner had vents routed under her floor, a setup that didn’t meet code. Chad couldn’t clean them, but the video he took told the full story. “You could hear the water gurgling in the duct. That video helped her understand why it needed to be fixed.”
New Tech to Solve Old Problems
The shift to CompanyCam was sparked by Chad’s cousin and boss, Clay. He found it online and asked Chad’s team to test it out.
“We’ve always taken pictures,” Chad said. “My grandpa used a Polaroid. Then we moved to digital cameras… bring the SD card back, download it, match the photos to the right job. CompanyCam made it all easier. Now we can organize everything and send it to customers right away.”
The “Aha!” Moment
For Chad, the “aha” moment came down to proof.
“It’s about being able to show what we did. If a carpet was ruined before we got there, we’ve got the photo. If a customer says no one showed up, we’ve got a time-stamped picture of our tech outside their house.”
That kind of documentation turns disputes into done deals.
Cutting Costly Trips
For Chad, the numbers speak for themselves. “CompanyCam has just saved us so much money over time that it’s a no-brainer,” he said.
Every time a truck leaves the lot, it costs the company. “We need to make at least $150 per trip to cover the tech, fuel, insurance — everything,” Chad explained. “Because everything’s documented in the app, we avoid those 45-minute drive-backs to check drywall or follow up on complaints.”
His team takes full advantage of unlimited photo and video storage. “We document everything — before, during, and after. The more we capture, the more we save ourselves from issues later.”
Let CompanyCam Speak for Itself
Chad doesn’t just use CompanyCam, he talks about it everywhere he goes. While quoting a massive 14,000 sq. ft. home with five furnaces, he showed the builder how he was documenting everything with the app.
“The guy called his son over from the basement and said, ‘Look at this app! We need to look into this,’” Chad said. “I told him how much money it saves us, and he was sold.”
Feedback in Real Time, Notes for Later
Chad’s go-to features are the ones that keep him organized across dozens of jobs.
“I like drawing on the photos, leaving notes, and tagging everything,” he said. “I can’t remember all the details from every project, but now I don’t have to. I just search for a tag like ‘training’ and everything’s there.”
He also uses live photo timelines to monitor work in real time. “When the crew is out on a job, I can check photos as they go and give feedback. That saves us money and time.”
Chad’s Advice: “Just Try It”
Chad knows change is hard, especially during that first year of trying something new. But his advice is simple: just try it.
“If you don’t like it, fine. But most people try it and realize they should’ve been using it sooner. I tell other contractors about it all the time. CompanyCam is one of those tools you just have to try.”
Finish the sentence,“CompanyCam is…”
“Just awesome,” Chad said. “It saves us time, money, energy, and headaches.”
For jobs in crawl spaces or attics — places most homeowners don’t go — Chad’s team uses photos and videos to show what they’ve found. That helps the customer make better decisions and understand next steps.
“And on new builds,” he added, “we tell them to make CompanyCam part of the plan. That way everyone, from the foreman to the crew, can see what’s going on. You don’t need extra paperwork. Just share the project, and it’s all there.”
For Chad and his team, CompanyCam isn’t just a tool, it’s how they do good work.
About Mite-E-Ducts
Chad is the Senior Tech Lead at Mite-E-Ducts, a family-owned air duct cleaning company based in Zionsville, Indiana. Founded in 1995, they provide dryer vent cleaning, air duct treatment, and more across the state. Chad’s been part of the team for 23 years.
Mite-E-Ducts is a branch of Control Tech Heating and Cooling, Chad’s uncle’s HVAC company. They serve residential and commercial clients in the greater Indianapolis area.
Ready to see what CompanyCam can do for your business? Book a demo today.
